Various services in advanced networks, wireless or wireline, rely on packet-based protocols for delivery of data and signaling. Such advanced networks generally exploit a group of application servers that generate at least part of the data and signaling that provide content and enable specific functionality associated with a service, such as voice over internet-protocol (VoIP), IP multimedia content delivery, caller identification (ID) in IP television, etc. In certain architectures, the group of servers is deployed in an application layer, which is functionally coupled to a control layer that typically includes several session control components that enable a service session (e.g., a VoIP call, a data call, delivery of a pay-per-view movie . . . ). An example of such architecture is 3GPP IP Multimedia System (IMS) core network. In 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) IMS core network, a session control component is embodied in a control session control function (CSCF) node, which can be a Serving CSCF (S-CSCF) node, an Interrogating CSCF (I-CSCF) node, a Proxy CSCF (P-CSCF), or a transit function node.
To enable the service session, generally a session control component exploits a predetermined configuration that dictates interaction with one or more application servers in accordance specific criteria that are part of the configuration and are related to the service session and an originating or terminating service subscriber. In addition, the specific criteria dictate, at least in part, routing aspects of the service session. In conventional networks, a network operator typically defines the features of the predetermined configuration. In addition, such predetermined configuration is (i) largely static and specific to a session control component (e.g., S-CSCF node); (ii) substantially manually provisioned; and (iii) generic rather than specific with respect to the various types of ASs that are commonly deployed. As network operators add new service accounts, deploy new technologies that enable additional capabilities for existing services, and put forward new services associated with the new technologies, complexity of the interaction amongst the control layer and the application layer increases rapidly. Thus, in conventional systems, the foregoing aspects of configurations that regulate behavior of a session control component towards an application server can hinder migration towards new network technologies and rich, sophisticated services.